Türkiye to develop population policy as fertility rates decline sharply: VP

Population Policies High Council, a newly established committee under the Ministry of Family and Social Policies tasked with shaping population policies amid concerns over sharply declining fertility rates in 2023, will convene for its first meeting on Jan. 9, Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz stated.

“In the first meeting, we will engage in consultations to outline a framework. While we do not expect an immediate road map, there will be a comprehensive presentation to initiate discussions, and we are likely to launch a new strategic action plan,” Yilmaz said.

Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz met with the economic press in Istanbul and answered journalists’ questions on Saturday.

Yilmaz introduced the Population Policies High Council, which was established by a presidential decree signed by Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Dec. 25, remarking that the council is tasked with shaping strategies to address the country’s demographic challenges.

Addressing fertility and family fund support

“In the first meeting, we will engage in consultations to outline a framework. While we do not expect an immediate road map, there will be a comprehensive presentation to initiate discussions, and we are likely to launch a new strategic action plan,” Yilmaz said. He added that the detailed plan would be shared after subsequent meetings, though specific topics such as the implementation of the Family and Youth Fund would also be addressed.

The fund, currently piloted in select provinces, is designed to provide financial support to newlywed couples using revenue from resources such as oil, natural gas, and mining. The initiative aims to ease the financial burdens of marriage, which Yilmaz identified as one of the primary factors contributing to delayed marriages and, consequently, lower fertility rates. “We may discuss how to expand this fund nationwide,” he noted.

Türkiye’s fertility rate raises concerns over population decline

On May 15, 2024, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) reported that Türkiye’s fertility rate dropped to 1.51% in 2023 from 1.61% level in 2022, sparking concerns over Türkiye’s population projections. On Jul. 30, TurkStat released the Population Projections report for 2023-2100, forecasting that the population of the country would increase until the mid-2050s and then begin to decrease, falling below 77 million in 2100.

The threat of population decrease, also faced by developed countries such as Japan, South Korea, and European nations, has raised concerns in Türkiye, as the inflationary economic outlook also affected marriage statistics negatively as well.

Population Policies High Council was established under the Ministry of Family and Social Services by a presidential decree signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, published in the Official Gazette on Dec. 25. The decree stated the council’s purpose as ‘formulating population policies with a coordinated and comprehensive approach, ensuring their effective implementation, and monitoring and evaluating demographic developments.

The council will consist of the Vice President as its chair, along with the Ministers of Justice, Family and Social Services, Labor and Social Security, Youth and Sports, Treasury and Finance, Interior, National Education, and Health; the President of Religious Affairs; the Director of Communications; the Head of Strategy and Budget; and the President of the Turkish Statistical Institute.